Spend Sundays With James Bond 007

In celebration of the centenary of producer Albert R. ‘Cubby’ Broccoli, born in 1909, a season of classic James Bond films have been digitally restored and are returning to cinemas nationwide distributed by classic film specialists, Park Circus.

Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger and On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, will be screening on consecutive Sundays at over 60 cinemas around the country.

The four classic films will be screened via the UK Film Council’s Digital Screen Network, enabling audiences to enjoy the outstanding picture quality and improved sound offered by this technologically advanced format. The digital release is Lottery funded through the UK Film Council’s Prints and Advertising Fund.

The Bond films in the Broccoli centenary season have been digitally restored frame by frame by Lowry Digital Images, the world’s leader in digital restoration and image enhancement. The process involves taking moving pictures that show signs of age and wear, removing the fading, dirt, scratches and other defects that occur over time, and returning them to their original condition.

Sean Connery was cast in the lead role and the film featured the usual Broccoli touch of exotic locations: this time Jamaica and surrounding waters, from which a bikini-clad Ursula Andress memorably emerged. A fast-paced colourful romp, the film became an enormous hit worldwide.

Broccoli considered this as one of the best Fleming stories. Connery once again excelled and was well supported by a great cast including Robert Shaw, wonderfully menacing as a brutal killer; and Lotte Lenya as the Russian agent with the famous poison-tipped knife device in her shoe. The film also features many distinctive Bond motifs for the first time and its huge success firmly established the 007 films as a cultural phenomenon.

To many, the quintessential Bond film and a brilliant third entry in the series. Here Bond gets his Aston Martin, spars with two statuesque British beauties (Honor Blackman and Shirley Eaton) and pits his wits against a memorable villain, Auric Goldfinger. Add the first Shirley Bassey theme song and some exciting action sequences and the result is an explosive cocktail.

Connery’s decision to quit as Bond left Broccoli and Saltzman with a headache. The press went into overdrive speculating on Connery’s successor; while the producers chose good-looking Australian actor George Lazenby after successful screen tests. Avengers superstar Diana Rigg was brought in as an added lure and the resulting action-packed film ensured that the franchise would continue.